Atomizer



Oct. 2 9

HOLMES ATOMIZER Filed July 1927 Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNlTE STATESPATENT OFFICE 'Tll-IOMAS J. HOLMES, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNOR T0 T. J. HOLMES COM- ATOMIZER Application filed July 26, 1327.Serial No. 208,475.

This invention relates to liquid atomizers, and is particularly intendedto provide a con venient and el'licicnt form of atomizer so constructedthat the atomizer maybe adjusted to re ulate the volume of spray, whenin use,

and may be tightly sealed against accidental escape of the liquid fromthe bottle or container through either the liquid-discharge passage orthe bottle-venting passage, so that the device may safely be carried ina trunk or traveling bag without danger of spilling the liquid andinjuring the contents of the bag.

In my former Patent No. 1,514:,O&-idated Nov. 4:, 1924:, I described aleak-proof atomizer operating on a principle similar to that of theatomizer herein described, but in the specific forms illustrated in thatinvention the rotatable axially adjustable spray-controlling memberformed one member of the atomizing nozzle or chamber, and hence the sizeand proportions of that chamber were varied by adjusting thespray-controlling and sealing member. The present construction is in thenature of an improvement on the forms shown in the patent aforesaid,inasmuch as it makes provision for a lined spray chamber of uniform sizethat is not affected by the adjustment of the spray-controlling andsealing member. Not only is the atomizing chamber of fixed form andcapacity in the present case, but, with the construction and arrangementused,it is unnecessary to bore the rotatable axially adjustablespray-controlling and sealing member. These and other features of theinvention will be particularly described in the following specificationand will be defined in the claims hereto annexed.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown slightly different forms ofconstruc-- tion embodying the principles of this improvement, in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged vertical or longitudinal sectional view of myimproved atomizing stopper applied to a bottle-container.

Figure 2 is a detail showing a central vertical section on one side in aplane at right angles to Figure 1 to show the air-venting passage.

Figure Sis a plan view of the stopper with the sealing and regulatingvalve removed.

Figure 4 is a central vertical section showing a modified arrangement inwhich the valve seat plug, provided with the air and liquid passages, isarranged transversely of the stopper body, the air-supply tube beingconnected at the top thereof.

In Figure 1, a designates any suitable bottle or container usuallyprovided with an internally threaded cap a to which is secured, by anair-pipe, threaded connection with the lower end of the stopper member 1which forms the main body of the atomizer.

In this form of the invention the stopper is provided with an interiorbore extending entirely through it in which is inserted a valve-seatplug 2, provided, at one end, with a valve chamber recess 9%, and havingits other end reduced, as shown at 2", to form an air chamber around theliquid educti-on or discharge passage 5, 5.

The upper valve chamber 2, and the lower chamber 2 have communication bymeans of an air-venting passage 3, 3*, formed in the exterior of theplug 2, and stopping a little below the upper end of the plug where itmeets a transverse port or opening 3 leading into the valve chamber orrecess.

The bottom of this valve chamber or recess forms a conical seat which iscentrally perforated and which is normally closed, when the device isnot in use, by the tapered conical point of the sealing valve member 7.

The stopper is t 'ansversely bored in this form to provide for thepassage of a compressed air conduit 6, whose reduced tapered end 6, withits interior central duct, forms the inner member of an atomizingnozzle. The outer or cap portion of the nozzle l is tightly secured inthe transverse bore, and

its hollow interior is of sufiicient diameter to leave a slightclearance space around the air-delivering inner member 6, and isprovided with an outlet aperture l in line with the compressedair-passage so that, as the air is forced under pressure through the airduct, it draws minute quantities of the liquid through theliquid-discharge passages and atomizes the liquid, delivering a linespray through the nozzle orifice l.

The liquid passes up through the pipe 5, extending down below thesurface of the liquid in the bottle a, through the duct or bored passage5, around the compressed airpipe 5", which is annularly grooved toprovide such passage, and into the lower conical portion of the valvereceiving chamber 2, adjacent t0 the liquid outlet passage or port 2that is annularly sealed by the tapered point of the'valvei. Thecompressed air tube is of smaller diameter than the transverse bore inthe plug and in the nozzle cap to allow the liquid, when the valve isretracted from its seat by reverse rotation, to be drawn through theliquid-discharge passages to the nozzle by the suction produced by thepassage of the compressed air through the nozzle.

The threaded valve 7, when rotated in either direction, is adjusted to,or from sealing position. In addition to the valve surface of its pointor tip, it has an additional conical valve seat- 7 adapted to tightlyseal the upper end of the valve chamber 2 at the same time that itspoint or tip closes the orifice 2, at the bottom of the said valvechamber, thereby tightly sealing the valve chamber against the possibleescape or seepage of liquid through the air-venting passage when thevalve is closed. It will, therefore, be seen that the valve chamber canbe securely sealed at both ends so that when the valve is tightly setthe liquid can not escape through the liquid d1scharge passages andthrough either the bot- .tom or the top of the valve chamber, nor canthe liquid escape from the valve chamber in either direction after ithas passed through theair-ven'ting duct. 7

. In Figure 4 I have shown a somewhat modified arrangement embodying thesame principles of construction 1n which the plug conta ning thevalve-seats inserted for the seal- I ing device and the air and liquidpassages is able valve-control passages mounted in a transverse borewith the air supply pipeled in at the top of the stopper.

1 In this form of the device the head or stopper 10 is provided with atransversebore passing entirely through the stopper horizontally. Thelower end of this stopper is provided with a large vertical here orpassage 10" whose upper end is counterbored on a smaller diameter forthe snug insertion of the liquid-eduction tube'll up which the liquidflows to suitto the aspirating oratomizing nozzle. r

The valve-seat plug 12 ha. its delivery end reduced in diameter to formthe inner member 12 of the atomizing nozzle, this reduced nozzle memberbeing surrounded by a slightly separated nozzle cap-14, having adelivery orifice in line with the air passage 12 in the plug whichcommunicates, through the passage 13 with the air-supply pipe 13 whichis tightly secured in a socket formed in the upper end of the stopper.

When the device is in use the liquid passes through the liquid-conveyingtube 11 and port 10 into an annular passage 12 formed in the exterior ofthe plug 12 before the plug is inserted. Opposite its nozzle end theplug is provided with a valve-sealing chamber having communication withthe liquid-tube 11 through the annular passage, and a short port orpassage 12 outside of the liquid outlet iassage 12 from which the liquidflows between the two nozzle members to the aspirating chamber adjacentto the atomizing or spraying chamber where by the action of the air isatomized and blown out through the nozzle orifice. w

A bottle-venting passage 16 affords comnunication between the chamber10, outside of the liquid tube 11, and the rear portion of thevalve-chamber inside of the outer edge of the valve chamber.

Both the forward or outlet end and lhe rear end of this valve chamberare engaged, respectively, by the tapered point of the valve plug 15 andby the shoulder 15 proportioned to engage the rear end-edge of the valvechamber to provide two tight sealing joints. The valve plug is opened orclosed by movement in a radial direction produced by its screw-threadedengagement with the interior threaded wall of the valve chamber. hatportion of the plug between the screw threads and the sealing surface 15being: slightly reduced in diameter to allow free passage of the air forventing purposes when the plug is slightly retracted for ulomizingpurposes. As the liquid can escape from the bottle stopper only throughthe passages 12 and 16, leading into the valve chamber, and as the valvechamber is hermetically sealed against the passage of the liquid outwardtherefrom in either direction by the two unnular sealing surfaces of thevalve, it is obvious that when the valve plug is t' itly scutcd byscrewing it in there is impossibility of the slightest leakage of theliquid as both scaling joints are absolutely tight. In this respect theaction is precisely like that described in reference to the form of thedevice shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, although the details of constructionare somewhat varied.

What I claim is:

l. A liquid atomizing stopper embracing in its construction a bodymember provided with liquid discharging and bottle-venting passages, theformer leading to an ulomizinii' chamber of fixed )roportioiis, anaxially ad iustable rotatable sealing member arrangerl by its axialadjustment to open and to close the liquid-discharge and thebottle-venting passages simultaneously without affecting the size of theatomizing chamber, the stoppcr being also provided with a compressed airduct leading to the centre of the atomizing chamber.

2. A liquid atomizing stopper embracing in its construction a main bodymember adapted "for attachment to a liquid container and provided with aliquid-atomizing chamber termed between outer and inner spaced wallslocated in fixed relation to each other, unailected by the opening orsealing of the atomizer, the stopper being provided with aliquid-discharge passage leading to said atomising chamber from theinterior of the bottle, a separate bottle venting passage leading to theexterior of the sto per body, an axially adjustable threaded valvehaving annular closure surfaces arranged, when the plug is screwedinward, to close the liquid discharge and the bottle-venting passagesagainst tie escape of liquid, the stopper be-- ing provided with acompressed air duct leading to the atomizing chamber.

8. A. liquid atomizer embracing a stopper body bored to receive a tixedplug, a pliiig secured in said here and provided with an exteriorpassage for the liquid and a central passage for compressed air, ahollow liXed nozzle-cap forming an atomizing chamber in communicationwith the liquid passage and with the compressed air passage, an axiallyadjustable sealing valve formed to close the liquid discharge passageand also a bottleventing passage formed in the stopper body when screwedto its seat.

l. In a liquid atomizer, the combination of a bottle stopper memberprovided with a bore passing entirely through it, a valve-seat plugprovided with a conical centrally apertured valve seat, an atomiaingnozzle provided with a central compressed air passage, and havingcommunication with the interior of the bottle to which the stopper isallixed by means of liquid-discharge passages having connnunicationthrough said central. perforation in the valve seat, the stopper havingan air-venting passage for the interior of the bottle, and a conicalpointed axially movable rotatable valve arranged to tightly close thecentral aperture in said valve seat to prevent escape of liquidtherethrough, said valve having another portion acting to simultaneouslyseal the air vent.

5. An atomizing stopper for a bottle or the like embracing in itsconstruction a stop per body provided with an atomizing chamher, andwith separate liquid-discharge and bottle-venting passages, said stopperhaving a valve-receiving recess at a distance from the atomizing chamberprovided with coaxial. spaced annular sealing seats, through one ofwhich communication between the bottle and the atmomizing chamber iseffected by means of the liquid-discharge passage, and axiallyadjustable sealing means provided with spaced annular sealing surfacesarranged respectively to be engaged with the corresponding annularsealing seats.

6. .din atomizing stopper :tor a bottle or the like embracing in itsconstruction a stopper body provided with an atomizing chamber, and withseparate liquid-discharge and hottle-venting passages, said stopperbeing provided also with a valve-receiving recess having spaced annularcoaxial sealing seats, one of which has a central opening forming a portin the liquid. discharge passage intermediate of its ends, and a valvemember located in said recess and having co-axial annular sealingsurfaces spaced to engage the corresponding annular seats at the sametime to prevent escape of liquid through the aforesaid passages when thevalve is closed, said stopper being also provided with a compressed-airduct leading to said atomizing chamber.

7. An atomizing stopper for liquids embracing in its construction astopper body provided with an atomizing chamber, and with separateliquiddischarge and c0mpressed-air passages leading thereto, said liquiddischarge passage including intermediate of its ends a valve controlledport, an axially adjustable taper-ended valve movable into said port toseal it against the escape of liquid therethrough, the stopper beingprovided with a bottle-venting passage whose outer end is sealed by saidvalve when. the valve is moved axially to seal the the said port.

8. An atomizing stopper provided with an ateinizin chamber and withliquid-discharge and. bottle-venting passages, the former passageincluding a centrally apertured end portion of a valve-receiving recess,formed in the stopper, into which the liquid from the bottle enters by alateral port, and from which it flows to the atomizing chamber throughsaid central aperture, an axially adjustable valve forsealingsaidcentral aperture, said valve being provided also with means for sealingthe outer end of the bottle-venting passage against the escape ofliquid.

In witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification.

THOMAS J. HOLMES.

